I happened to run across this treadmill review website and one paragraph in particular in their front page article caught my eye suggesting that exercise that is too intense may raise sugar levels. (I, for one, never found this to be the case.)
"Intense exercise is not good for people with diabetes, as it can have the opposite effect of increasing blood glucose levels. The body recognizes intense workouts as a stress and releases stress hormones, forcing blood glucose levels to increase. Consult with your doctor before you start any exercises."
What do you think? Read the complete article here at Treadmill Reviews.
Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)
It is a gross generalization and oversimplification to say that diabetics should not exercise intensely. However, intense running in an anaerobic zone, as well as weight lifting, can indeed cause BG to go up. So does the "good stress" associated with race days. I can train and have my breakfast, basal and boluses really dialed in during training. But on race days my BG has often shot into the high 200's/low 300's before I even start. The benefits I get from exercise, both mental and physical, far outweigh the occasional short term BG spikes. And hey, if it wasn't that, it would be something else. Sheri Colberg's book, "The Diabetic Athlete", does a much better job of explaining the response to anaerobic exercise than the treadmill salesman.
Cannot remember where, but I did recently read that strenuous exercise (including running) could pose a danger to diabetics who have more advanced blood vessel damage and have high blood pressure. Stands to reason as the fine blood vessels of the eyes and kidneys become very fragile and the combination of high blood pressure and exercise could exasperate the problem. Each year I ask my opthamologist her opinion. My last retinal review is showing very early signs of wear and tear but am cleared to run. Generally what goes on in the eyes is also going on in the kidneys and both have similar fine blood vessel structures.